So we just finished up the month of all things spooky, scary, and of course candy-licious. Parents are pooped from either handing out sugar to little goblins and superheroes or, they’re pooped from trying to keep up with the little ones and their unending excitement of filling their candy bags with tons and tons of loot. We know what this means. In the next coming days, there will be NO space for healthy. No space for fiber. No space for goodness (except the tasty goodness, not the good-for-you-goodness). So, while the kids are busy assessing their sugar filled haul and lying in a sugar coma with a mustache and beard of chocolate, why not put the REAL meaning back into trick or treat… and trick them into getting some protein and fiber into their body with this Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting!! They’ll have NO idea you’re giving them something healthy, but however, their bodies will secretly thank you.
SECRET INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE
So what is the secret ingredient you ask? Steady yourself now….
BLACK EYE PEAS!!
I know right!!?!?
Before you click this closed, please give me a minute to explain. First, your kids will be FREAKED OUT that you’re giving them extra chocolate on top of the chocolate bounty they have in their bags. They’ll be dumbfounded and look like deer in headlights from disbelief of their good fortune that is happening to them. But guess what? The joke’s on them. They’ll be completely fooled and will have no idea that the cake has body-loving protein and fiber in it. They’ll just think that you pretty much just rocked their world and are the BEST…..PARENT……EVER.
This cake has 2 cups of cooked, black-eyed peas in it, which carries a good whack of healthy protein and fiber to your body. In fact, the two cups of black-eyed peas in this cake, according to Livestrong, contain 14 grams of protein per cup and 12 grams of fiber per cup. So, with 28 grams of protein and 24 grams of fiber just from the beans, you see how this cake can quickly add some much-needed nutrients to the body!
THE BEST PART…
Best part of the cake? It’s chocolately… its rich tasting.. it’s moist from the addition of the beans… AND……… you don’t taste the beans!! They’re hidden into the cake and all you can detect is the luscious chocolately yumminess! (Plus, paired with the peanut butter frosting.. well… do I need to spell out how insanely good this cake is??)
The secret is in the mashing of the beans. You have MASH those puppies into oblivion. You want a thick paste of beans and you could actually put them in a food processor if you wanted to make sure you got a great mash. Actually, a puree with the food processor would be excellent! I don’t have one or I would have used it, but I mashed those beans like they were my enemy. The reason for the crazy mashing is so that the kidlets don’t lose their minds about seeing half a bean in the cake. The point here is to HIDE the beans. 🙂
The directions are no different from making a regular chocolate cake. You don’t have to use the peanut butter icing, but I really recommend it because we all know how classic the combination of chocolate and peanut butter is. I had to go the extra mile and put caramel sauce on top, but again, you don’t have to go that far. Yes, yes, this cake has sugar in it. But wouldn’t you rather have them consuming protein and fiber along with their sugar instead of the candy bar crap? lol
This chocolate cake with black-eyed peas would be just as good on its own with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.. or, a scoop of caramel ice cream as well. Heck, it would be good with any ice cream or even just a sprinkling of icing sugar. Well.. the caramel sauce or ice cream would be better than just the sprinkling of icing sugar, but it’s so moist and rich that this cake can hold its’ own with whatever you want to put on top of it……. or not put on top of it.
I’d love to hear how you served this Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake!!! Leave a comment below and tell me how you served this lusciousness!!!!
Secret Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
The secret in this healthy-ish Secret Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe is one you won't believe. It comes out decadent, rich, moist, and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups black eyed peas, cooked, drained
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Fry's
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t baking powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups milk
- Frosting
- 1 cup peanut butter, smooth
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ - 2 cups icing sugar
- as needed, milk
Instructions
- CAKE DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease or line with parchment, a 9 x 13 pan.
- Mash (or put in a food processor) the black-eyed peas. Mash well and set aside.
- In another bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth.
- Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture
- In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add the dry to the wet mixture. Stir until combined.
- Add the vanilla and the beans. Fold the beans into the mixture until well combined.
- Transfer into the baking pan.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let completely cool.
- Turn the cake out to your serving dish.
- DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING:
- In a bowl, combine the butter and peanut butter.
- Slowly, add the icing sugar in ¼ c increments until you've reached 1 ½ cups. Taste for sweetness. If you need more, add the remaining icing sugar in the same amounts.
- Slowly add the milk in TABLESPOON increments, until you have a nice, smooth spreading consistency.
- Spread out onto the top and sides of the cake.
- On serving, garnish with caramel sauce or ice cream.
- Enjoy!
Notes
The black-eyed peas must be very well cooked so they mash smoothly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 647Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 378mgCarbohydrates: 77gFiber: 4gSugar: 53gProtein: 12g
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
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